AS Monaco owner Dmitry Rybolovlev revealed that he considered buying Manchester United a few years ago. In an interview with Sport Witness, the Russian billionaire reveals
that United and several other clubs were on his shopping list before he eventually settled on Monaco, then of Ligue 2, in June 2011.

"Before Monaco, other clubs interested me," Rybolovlev
said. "Like Manchester United where I had a box. But AS Monaco is a club with a long and beautiful history and a team both local and national. In a way, it really is a unique club."

He added
that he initially fell in love with the game after attending a Premier League match as a spectator. "The first football game I went to was about ten years ago, at Chelsea," he said. "Not in a box
but in the stands, with the fans. I discovered that unique emotion only football can create."

Rybolovlev has since spent 150 million pounds ($242 million) on bringing new players to the Stade
Louis II, including Radamel Falcao, James Rodriguez, Joao Moutinho and Geoffrey Kondogbia.